Yale Football Blog

The Yale Bulldogs host the Dartmouth Big Green on Saturday at The Bowl. Kickoff is slated for noon and the game will air on ESPNU.

The Big Green enter the contest with a 1-2 record following a tough win over Penn last week. In Week 1, the Big Green nearly knocked off #7 Lehigh and likely would have emerged victorious if not for sloppy officiating. Week 2 saw a surprise loss for the Big Green at home vs. Monmouth, but Dartmouth responded by beating a much-improved Penn team that was playing well heading into the contest.

Senior QB Grayson Saunier (6’2”, 215 lbs.) is the top returning QB in the Ivy League and can beat teams with his arm or his feet. Saunier has shredded Yale since his sophomore season and leads a Big Green offense that is far more effective than that of any opponent faced to date. Saunier’s accuracy has not been spectacular at a 56.9% completion rate, but he rarely makes huge mistakes, with just one interception on the season, and he can use his powerful legs to run through arm tackles with ease. Sophomore RB Myles Craddock (5’8”, 200 lbs.) has speed and power and is ranked third in the Ivy League in rushing with 56 carries for 258 yards (4.6 ypc) and 3 touchdowns. The offensive line is not the most experienced unit, but it is solid all around, and Coach Clark has made it his life mission to prove us wrong on our past slights about his coaching ability during his tenure in New Haven. The offensive line averages 299.4 lbs. across the board and has paved the way for 4.1 yards per carry on the ground with just 4 sacks surrendered in pass protection. Junior WR Ky’Dric Fisher (6’0”, 176 lbs.) is one of the most explosive athletes in FCS and is averaging 18.8 yards per reception. Senior WR Nick Lemon (5’11”, 194 lbs.) has stepped into a more prominent role this season and has been solid with 9 catches for 176 yards. Junior TE Kyle Meier (6’3”, 259 lbs.) is a huge target who is impactful in both the running and passing games. The Big Green will likely seek to lean on the ground game with both Craddock and Saunier before hitting the Bulldogs with deep shots to Fisher or exotic trick plays. Manhandling the Big Green up front is a prerequisite for keeping this game close.

The Big Green always feature a stout defense, and this year is no exception. Senior S Harrison Keith (6’0”, 205 lbs.) of Fairfield leads Dartmouth in tackles with 27, including 3 tackles for a loss. Sophomore DB Johnny Stephens (6’0”, 182 lbs.) earned Defensive Player of the Week accolades in the win over Penn with 13 tackles, including 5 stops on Penn’s final drive alone. Senior DB Cameron Best-Alston (6’3”, 220 lbs.) could be the largest defensive back in the Ivy League and is second on the team with 26 tackles. Senior LB Steve Simpkins Jr. (6’2”, 230 lbs.) is another physical specimen who has played well with 26 tackles and a forced fumble. Senior DE Joshua Johnson (6’2”, 281 lbs.) has seen action since his freshman season and is the leader of the defensive front with 14 tackles on the season. On the opposite side of Johnson is senior DE Bruce Williams (6’2”, 259 lbs.), who has been equally effective with 14 stops. The Big Green have allowed 4.3 yards per carry and 6.4 yards per passing attempt, so there will be opportunities for the Bulldogs, but it will all boil down to execution along the line of scrimmage. Hopefully HDK’s momentum from the Merrimack game will carry into this contest and keep Dartmouth from focusing its efforts entirely on destroying the Reno to Santiago or Reno to Anderson connections. Smith and Jones should be top options for dump-off passes under pressure. Why not throw a few exotic trick plays into the mix to end the Curse of Buddy Teevens? We know McCorkle is as giddy as a schoolgirl reviewing his trick play options to deploy, so let’s hit back with a few of our own.

Dartmouth has arguably the top field goal kicker in the Ivy League in senior Owen Zalc (5’10”, 160 lbs.), who has nailed two field goals of 50 yards or longer this season. Junior P Luke Armistead (6’1”, 202 lbs.) averages an impressive 45.1 yards per punt and can flip the field with his leg strength. This game could very well come down to a last-second field goal attempt, so limiting mental errors on special teams is as vital as ever.

Go Bulldogs! Beat the Big Green!

Yale moved to 2-1 on the season with a gutsy, come-from-behind 41-24 victory over the visiting Merrimack Warriors.

Following the devastating news of Coach Reno’s death last week, there were questions about whether Dante would be out of the lineup once again. Dante did in fact play and put on a heroic display. After an early pick-six and defensive lapses left the Bulldogs in a 21-7 deficit, Reno took control of the game and willed the Elis to victory. Reno finished 22-of-39 for 298 yards and 4 touchdowns through the air, and found success in the ground game with well-timed scrambles. HDK had the best showing of his career as we finally witnessed a bit of power and vision. He finished the day with 132 rushing yards and a TD with 4.4 ypc. The offensive line remains a work in progress, but you have to be pleased with the level of improvement from week 2 to week 3. Bennett Anderson saw time at guard as the coaches still seek the best combo along the line. No sacks were surrendered, and the backs finally had a bit of breathing room before contact. It was good to see Lewis bulldozing some opponents. Santiago and Anderson were back to their dominant ways with 216 yards and 2 TDs combined. Kemp had the touchdown catch of a lifetime that the referees ignored before irrefutable video evidence swayed them. Tight ends continue to perform, with Smith hauling in a key touchdown grab. Offensive play-calling still has a way to evolve on third downs, with the Bulldogs held to 7 of 15 attempts. 

Defensively, the Elis found a way to slow down Merrimack in the second half, but 6.3 yards allowed per play will usually doom a team. One score came on a trick play that caught Daniyan flat-footed for a second, and Yale has to expect trick plays every week because they always seem to work against us. Grant led with 10 tackles and was all over the field. Schutzman had another up-and-down performance at the other linebacker spot, and Partin saw action there as well. Eastep came up with a few solid plays, but struggles from Daniyan and White, among others, allowed big, costly receiving plays. Tate is getting back into a groove and notched six tackles. No sacks were generated while both the QB and backs had healthy average yards per carry metrics, so there is still much room for improvement up front. With the Big Green coming to town, the defense from top to bottom has to step up in a huge way this week.

Keeney averaged a great 43.2 yards per punt with a long of 54 yards. Piper went 2-for-2 with a long of 38 yards. Santiago racked up 92 punt return yards but has to work on ball security. Hopping added a nice 30-yard kickoff return to his freshman stats.

The Yale Bulldogs host the Merrimack Warriors on Saturday at the Bowl for the Elis’ Ivy League opener. The game is set to kick off at noon and the game will air on ESPN+.

Merrimack enters the contest with a 2-3 record following a brutal slate of FCS opponents, two of which were ranked, and one FBS opponent. Last week, Merrimack knocked off New Haven 17-10 in a sloppy matchup in the rain. This game is the perfect matchup for Yale coming off of a tough loss at Cornell, as the Bulldogs have a chance to work out flaws on both sides of the ball against a beatable opponent, while also challenging the units as the Warriors have enough talent to knock off Yale if the Bulldogs cannot execute.

The Merrimack offense features an aggressive scheme leaning heavily on a physical ground game and portal additions at the skill spots. Sophomore QB AJ Hairston (6-2, 205 lbs.) leads the unit following his transfer from UMass, bringing dual-threat capabilities. Hairston has struggled with accuracy and decision-making, completing just 55.6% of his passes with 4 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Sophomore QB Cole Meehan (6-1, 195 lbs.) has also seen action this year with 2 interceptions and no touchdowns. The backfield features bruising junior RB Matthias Latham (5-10, 200 lbs.), who paces the team with 358 rushing yards, alongside senior RB Galamama Mulbah (5-9, 195 lbs.) and explosive junior RB DeMarcus McElroy (5-10, 190 lbs.). All three of Merrimack’s top backs are averaging over 4.0 yards per carry. UMass transfer junior WR Kenyon Massey (6-0, 185 lbs.) anchors the receiving corps alongside junior WR Austin Palmer (6-3, 190 lbs.) and sophomore WR Stephon Patrick (5-11, 180 lbs.). Palmer leads the Warriors in receptions, yards, and receiving touchdowns with 15 catches for 176 yards and two touchdowns. At tight end, junior Ty Yocum (6-3, 240 lbs.) provides a reliable target over the middle with decent blocking skills. The offensive line averages 305.0 lbs. across the board and is a fairly experienced unit with four players returning with playing experience, including a former starter at Marist. The offensive line could be the best run-blocking unit that we’ve faced to date this season, paving the way for 4.3 yards per carry, but the unit has not been outstanding at pass blocking, allowing 8 sacks on the season. The Bulldogs have to find a way to shut down the ground game this week and force Merrimack into 3^rd downs where they succeed on only 31.8% of attempts. Physicality at the line of scrimmage will be a necessity, linebackers need clean tackling fundamentals, and the secondary has to eliminate penalties and mental errors.

Stopping the ground game also happens to be Merrimack’s identity on defense. The Warriors have only allowed 95.2 rushing yards per game, or 3.4 yards per carry, despite playing a very difficult slate of opponents. The Bulldogs will be very familiar with senior LB/DE Micah Green (5-11, 220 lbs.), who transferred from Dartmouth and is currently the second-leading tackler with 25 total tackles on the season. Senior LB Rajahn Cooper (6-0, 220 lbs.) commands the center of the defense as a sure-tackling focal point, supported by sophomore LB Jacob Wilson(6-1, 230 lbs.). Junior LB Will Claude (6-1, 210 lbs.) has been very impactful when shooting into the backfield with 4.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Junior DL Logan Graham (6-2, 240 lbs.) has been very disruptive with 2.5 tackles for loss and 2 sacks on the season. Sophomore DLs Bryce Ricks (6-2, 285 lbs.) and Dwayne Green Jr. (6-1, 250 lbs.) will also be challenging for our interior offensive linemen to contain. Senior S Danny Simms (6-0, 195 lbs.) patrols the back end and could be the top defender on the roster. Simms currently leads the team in tackles with 27 and has also recorded an interception as well as an astonishing two blocked kicks. Senior DB Bertrin Placide (6-0, 190 lbs.) is a transfer from Tennessee Tech and leads the team with two interceptions. While finding a running rhythm for the Yale offense would be great, the contest will likely boil down to how the Elis are able to exploit the Warriors’ coverage schemes. The pressure is once again on the offensive line for stellar blocking to keep Hewitt or Reno comfortable while finding an open Santiago or Anderson.

Junior K Guytano Bartolomeo (5-11, 180 lbs.) has struggled this season, connecting on only one of his five field goal attempts. Senior P Mike Ryan (5-11, 160 lbs.) averages a decent 35.8 yards per punt and has placed 6 punts inside the red zone. Backup RB Mulbah is a very dangerous kick returner with an average return of 22.1 yards this season.

Go Bulldogs! Beat the Warriors!

The Yale Bulldogs fell to the Cornell Big Red by a score of 38–25 in a disastrous Ivy League opener for Cahill.

Offensively, the Elis were doomed from the start with Reno sidelined by an injury and an ineffective rushing attack. Hewitt was forced into the first action of his career and threw two ugly interceptions, one of which was nearly returned for a touchdown. It was evident that Hewitt had not seen many live plays with the starters, as he seemed uncomfortable in the pocket, even under little duress at times, and gave up easy sacks. Whether it was fielding snaps, handing the ball off, or making the decision to scramble, everything just seemed disjointed and delayed. Eventually, Hewitt settled down and got into a rhythm with a few tremendous plays, such as the 4th-down touchdown pass and the 2-point conversion toss, but by that point in the contest it was too little, too late, as the defense failed to slow the Big Red’s assault. The rushing attack improved slightly from Week 1 but still lacked any sense of explosiveness that could lead to big plays. HDK ran for 56 yards on 14 carries (4.0 ypc), while Cuttler added 23 yards on 8 carries (2.9 ypc). Running the ball on 3^rd and long appeared to be a sign of defeat, as there was simply no hope of picking up the first down. The receivers and tight ends were not given as many opportunities to shine as last week, given the turmoil at quarterback, yet there were still strong performances from Santiago (58 yards and a touchdown), Smith (53 yards and a touchdown), Anderson (39 yards) and Jones (35 yards). The offensive line really needed to step up its game to give the Bulldogs a chance and ultimately failed to improve much from Week 1. Run blocking improved slightly from the Holy Cross game but needed to progress by leaps and bounds, given the reliance on inexperienced runners. Pass blocking was not terrible overall, despite the two sacks allowed, although Hewitt’s greenness required a perfectly clean pocket. The main gripe with the offensive line in this contest was simply the lack of physicality. Most of the offensive failures stem from a lack of preparation: the 2nd-string signal caller clearly did not see enough action in practice with the rest of the first team, play calling was not designed for Hewitt’s strengths, and the ground game remains feeble.

While the offense was hamstrung by the loss of its leader, the defensive blunders were even more disappointing. The Bulldogs held up well in the first quarter, allowing only a touchdown on a very short field after an interception, but the tables turned beginning in the 2^nd quarter. Schutzman missed an open-field tackle on a running back after a catch, Eastep was out of position on a long pass, Webster was called for pass interference, and Cornell was able to sneak its quarterback in for a score. Unfortunately, that sequence of events continued to unfold as the game progressed. The defensive line mustered just one sack on the afternoon against a below-average offensive line and allowed 126 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. Bass-Sulpizio looked more comfortable in the pocket than he ever has in his career. Grant led the team with 11 tackles, yet still struggled at times, most notably on a long running back reception. The secondary did not receive any favors from the defensive line, but the level of play we witnessed is unacceptable for this experienced unit. Webster’s a liability for a pass interference call anytime the ball is thrown in his direction. Kamara was beaten on an outside route for a first down and was unusually quiet on the afternoon. Daniyan was cited for a costly penalty and did not play up to expectations. Eastep continues to miss coverages and tackles. The other cornerback position remains in disarray with Barkley-Smith, White and Banks all seeing time there in search of a solution. While the nation is focused on the Cornell Seven case, the Elis were assaulted by the Cornell Eleven on offense.

Piper’s 40-yard field goal in the 2^nd quarter was a highlight of the afternoon, and Keeney performed well, given the high wind gusts, with a 39.6-yard punting average. Santiago’s failure to catch a punt allowed Cornell to change field position by 75 yards.

The Bulldogs head to Ithaca, NY to face the Cornell Big Red on Saturday. Kickoff is slated for 1 PM and the game will air on ESPN+.

Cornell lost to Colgate in week one by a score of 20-7, but that was a difficult opening-day opponent for the Big Red. This Yale-Cornell game is always a hard-fought battle as an Ivy opener, and this one is expected to go down to the wire.

Offensively, the unit is quarterbacked by Senior QB Garrett Bass-Sulpizio (6’5″, 231 lbs.), a big-framed signal-caller who returns with some starting experience this year, though he notably struggled with decision-making and pressure against Colgate by completing 18 of 37 passes for 132 yards and 3 interceptions. Despite those passing struggles, he was their leading rusher with 5 carries for 52 yards, including an explosive 22-yard scamper, and while he managed to avoid being sacked, he frequently forced balls into tight coverage as his pocket fundamentals broke down under heavy pressure. Naturally, we have to expect him to look sharper this week since Cornell boasts an impressive stable of receiving talent. Junior RB Jordan Triplett (5’10”, 205 lbs.) averaged an efficient 5.3 yards per carry despite being limited to just 4 carries, proving himself to be a solid all-purpose back who came on strong last year by churning out 454 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns. Senior RB Ean Pope (5’7″, 182 lbs.) provides a speedy veteran presence out of the backfield. Cornell features a solid rushing attack to account for, and they will really try to make Yale pay on the ground this weekend. Through the air, Senior WR Samuel Musungu (6’0″, 192 lbs.) is a very dangerous deep threat who earned 2nd-team All-Ivy honors in 2024 before missing the 2025 campaign with an injury. Sophomore WR Ja’von Broussard (6’1″, 193 lbs.) serves as another rising weapon for the Big Red alongside the massive Junior WR TJ Hamilton (6’6″, 254 lbs.). Quick and productive pass-catcher and rusher Senior WR Brendan Lee (5’11”, 189 lbs.) adds another dynamic threat, while Senior TE Ryder Kurtz (6’5″, 250 lbs.) is a 2nd-team All-Ivy selection from last season who ripped Yale apart with 9 catches. Their offensive line averages 303.3 lbs. across the board with only 1 returning starter in the mix. They held their own reasonably well in the rushing game and did not allow a single sack last week, even though their quarterback was frequently forced to scramble out of danger. Defensively, our front line has to step up big this week. We need to maintain stellar outside containment while creating consistent interior disruption. Our linebackers must fit their gaps cleanly and wrap up securely in space. We simply have to make their quarterback uncomfortable to relieve pressure on the secondary. Calculated blitzes will be necessary whenever the situation calls for them. From a secondary perspective, Cornell features tons of dangerous receiving targets to account for. That means we must strictly limit mental mistakes in coverage and take much better angles on opposing ball carriers. This is especially important because they are likely to run heavily against us early on while throwing a trick play into the mix.

The Big Red defense is anchored by Senior S Johnny Williamson (6’1″, 205 lbs.), who racked up 7 tackles, 1 interception, and a sack against Colgate. Junior LB Cooper Cameron (6’1″, 231 lbs.) added 9 tackles and a sack last week, while Senior S Tommy MacPherson (6’2″, 198 lbs.) led the team with 11 tackles and a sack. Junior LB Ian Wall (6’4″, 234 lbs.) also chipped in 9 tackles. Up front, Junior DT Tommy Ducker (6’3″, 280 lbs.) played well against Colgate with 6 tackles and a deflected pass. Sophomore DE Saeed Moghaddam Adames (6’6″, 253 lbs.) brings a huge frame and performed brilliantly in his first varsity action with 6 tackles and half a tackle for loss. Sophomore DE Dalten Phelan (6’2″, 236 lbs.) operates as a speedy outside linebacker and pass-rushing threat. Senior CB Braylon Howard (6’0″, 167 lbs.) and local Hamden Hall product Junior CB Tyler Gibson (6’1″, 181 lbs.) round out the secondary. Cornell put together a fierce pass rush against Colgate by racking up 4 sacks. They also aggressively brought defensive backs and linebackers on timely blitzes, holding Colgate to just 7 of 18 on third downs while limiting opponents to 3.7 yards per carry. They proved somewhat more susceptible through the air, however, yielding 7.6 yards per attempt after an early deep strike where a wideout burned a corner. Cornell likely feels intensely confident in their ability to stuff Yale’s rushing attack. They will undoubtedly focus extra coverage on Anderson and Santiago while heavily pressuring Reno. That means our Bulldogs will have to keep them entirely off balance with screens, end-arounds, short tight-end routes, and creative rushing plays. We need to keep the sticks moving while also finding ways to burn the clock. The pressure is squarely on our offensive line this week to carve out reliable pathways for the young runners and keep Reno upright. There will definitely be opportunities to exploit their secondary downfield, but we cannot afford to force balls into tight coverage early.

Special teams present another critical test, featuring Sophomore P Caden Lesiewicz (5’11”, 185 lbs.), who averaged an impressive 45.8 yards per punt last week with one kick downed neatly inside the red zone. While Cornell did not attempt a field goal, Senior K Alan Zhao (6’0″, 206 lbs.) made his lone PAT attempt and earned honorable mention All-Ivy status in 2024, while the explosive Brendan Lee remains a talented return man we must account for. Special teams as a whole has to clean up the sloppy miscues witnessed against Holy Cross, because Cornell is a significantly stronger football team all-around.

Go Bulldogs! Beat the Big Red!

The Bulldogs defeated the Holy Cross Crusaders on Saturday in a tough 38-28 contest that earned Coach Cahill his first win as Yale’s head coach. While the opening-week victory gives the squad something to build on, the film reveals plenty of issues that need to be ironed out before conference play ramps up.

Quarterback Reno put together a massive performance under center, taking heavy punishment from blitzes yet finishing 30-of-43 for 454 yards and five touchdowns with zero interceptions. His primary targets put up video-game numbers: Santiago hauled in 12 catches for 234 yards and two touchdowns (including a 75-yard house call), while Anderson added nine receptions for 155 yards and two scores. Tight ends also came up clutch when it mattered most, with Smith hauling in a key 28-yard touchdown reception and Wagner hanging onto the football through a punishing hit.

However, the rest of the offense left a lot to be desired. Kemp continues to struggle with drops at wide receiver, and the rushing attack was virtually nonexistent, managing just 70 net yards on 30 carries (a 2.3 yards-per-carry average). HDK and Adams split the carries and both are exceptional runners in space and great receiving threats but lack the power and vision to be inside rushing threats. The offensive line had a tough day across the board: pass protection leaked, run blocking was stagnant, and the unit struggled to pick up blitzes. Penalties and mental mistakes stalled drives, highlighted by a holding call on Lewis, a mauling of St. Aubyn that led to a sack, a false start by McGown, and an offense that managed just 3 rushing first downs and 3 penalty first downs all afternoon, going 7-of-16 on third down and losing the time of possession battle (29:34 to 30:26).

Defensively, Yale was pushed around and struggled to find consistent containment. The secondary had bright spots as Schmidt led the team with 10 tackles despite not earning a starting spot, Daniyan added eight tackles and a game-sealing interception, Kamara was very active in run and pass support and displayed some of the best tackling of the day, and Webster played well in coverage albeit with a penalty. Grant flashed ability but missed too many open-field stops, while Schutzman struggled to generate production or defeat blockers and suffered a costly gaffe when a punt bounced off him.

Up front, the defensive line was heavily neutralized. Tackles Fadeyibi and Tate—the latter not officially listed on the roster at #94—along with Austin and Johnson, performed well below expectations at defensive tackle, while freshman Ohakawa saw brief action in reserve. Jackson Bass was up-and-down, and Cave failed to maintain outside containment or generate a consistent pass rush. While Hutton made the defensive play of the day with a strip-sack that Yale unfortunately failed to recover, Coleman has not yet evolved into a true game-wrecker.

The numbers tell the story: Holy Cross’s top back gashed the defense for 120 yards, while their powerful backup repeatedly shrugged off weak arm-tackles and threw a touchdown. Eastep still proved to be a liability with poor angles in pursuit and a penalty, though he did have solid coverage late in the contest. It remains an odd configuration that Daniyan and Schmidt have to split time at free safety when you want your top tacklers on the field in a 5-DB array. Still, the defense did hold Holy Cross to 153 yards passing and under 50% completion (17-for-40).

Special teams also had a messy afternoon, featuring a blocked field goal, a bad punt snap (or a failed fake attempt?), though Pandolfi provided a top highlight with a crushing block on a kickoff. Has Pandolfi’s explosiveness been overlooked by the offensive coaches?

It was a very forgiving first opponent, but the mistakes need to be cleaned up in a hurry. Special teams, blocking assignments, and fundamental tackling must improve drastically this week if the Bulldogs expect to secure a win against Cornell.